By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 14 Sep: The Dehradun Forest Division carried out a major action on Sunday against encroachment on forest land, freeing 1,015 square metres of reserved forest land in the Kandoli-1 area of Jhajra Range from unauthorised occupation. Speaking to the media persons, Dehradun DFO Vaibhav Singh claimed that keeping forest land free from encroachment is a priority of the department. He added that effective action will be taken in such cases after completion of the legal process.
According to the Forest Department, unauthorised construction had been carried out on the reserved forest land since 2006-07. The construction was demolished as per the prescribed procedure and the land was subsequently taken back into the possession of the Forest Department.
The action was carried out following the completion of a prolonged legal battle over the department’s orders for removal of the encroachment. The department’s stand remained intact during the legal proceedings, with the Nainital High Court dismissing the writ petition in 2017 and subsequently rejecting Special Appeal No. 1083/2017 in 2025. The latest action was taken in compliance with the judicial orders. Representatives of the Revenue Department were also present at the site during the operation.
It may be recalled that it was in 2009, when an order for removal of the unauthorised construction was passed on 7 August. The party concerned subsequently filed an appeal at the departmental level, which was rejected on 4 September 2009. However, the party concerned filed a petition with Uttarakhand High Court but its writ petition was dismissed on 20 September 2017.
Despite the dismissal of the writ petition, the matter was pursued further through Special Appeal No. 1083/2017. The High Court dismissed the special appeal on 9 June 2025, thereby upholding the department’s position. Following the court’s order, the Forest Department proceeded with the removal of the encroachment at the site and restored the 1,015 square metres of reserved forest land to its possession.
The department has asserted that the unauthorised construction on reserved forest land has been removed in accordance with the law and the land was secured after being freed from encroachment. The Forest Department has reiterated that encroachment or unauthorised construction on reserved forest land will not be tolerated and that action would continue as per rules to protect forest land and safeguard its boundaries.
